VEVO, the upcoming music video site sponsored by Google and Universal Music Group, has announced plans to partner with AT&T via a tweet and email message sent to members of the VEVO VIP pre-launch mailing list. VEVO wrote in the email message that new partnership will result in a comprehensive support for the VEVO service across a wide variety of connected platforms. The startup said that the deal will enable AT&T to reach millions of music lovers, quoting AT&T’s Chris Schembri in the email message as follows:

Music and entertainment are two of the broadest-reaching and influential ‘passion points’ for consumers, and aligning our brand with a new property like VEVO gives us a chance to reach them in fresh, meaningful ways.

Although VEVO has yet to launch, AT&T’s decision to join the service is a welcome sign and much-needed support for the young service. AT&T’s move could persuade other industry heavyweights to support the service.

Although Universal Music Group will provide the initial content, the service is open to any record label who wants to put music videos on VEVO under the ad revenue sharing scheme. The idea here is that big brands are more likely to put adverts alongside legally provided music videos with no user-generated content interfering with the premium content.

VEVO is scheduled to launch at VEVO.com and on YouTube in December. It will be the first time ever that YouTube will host content outside its main site. In a nutshell, Google and Universal are pushing VEVO as the largest music-focused site on the web that will let you watch music videos for free, in exchange for some ads. Google and Universal will split ad revenues generated across VEVO properties. Think of it as YouTube’s version of the MTV or the Hulu for music videos, minus kitten videos, amateur lip-syncing, and the other user-generated content you find on YouTube. The service will be hosted by YouTube and Google.

The project should help ease tensions between Google and record labels. This March, Warner Music Group demanded that Google remove its content from YouTube, arguing that the search giant had been profiting from other people’s content. Google announced late September that Warner Music Group returned to YouTube in a multi-year global agreement that covers the full Warner catalog and includes user-generated content containing Warner’s acts. Warner is reportedly considering providing its content on VEVO.